This invention relates to an automatic test station for handling bundles of smoking articles and performing one or more of a plurality of physical measurements on individual smoking articles and components thereof. More particularly, this invention relates to an automatic test station having a plurality of measuring stations and a robotic device for maneuvering differently dimensioned smoking articles to one or more of the measuring stations in a preselected sequence in an unattended mode.
It is common practice to perform a sequence of one or more tests or measurements on commercial and experimental smoking articles and their component parts following assembly. These measurements include the physical characteristics of the article and component parts (e.g., the filter) such as article pressure drop, ventilation, filter pressure drop, article circumference, article length, filter length, filter and tobacco weights, and paper permeability. A plurality of like smoking articles are subjected to tests that measure one or more of those specific properties. The test results may be used to evaluate the uniformity of the measured property or properties from article to article within the plurality of like articles and to obtain statistical data regarding the characteristics of the like articles in that plurality of articles. In addition, multiple pluralities of like articles, wherein the articles in each plurality may be different, are typically subjected to the same series of tests under conditions that permit comparing the statistical characteristics of the different like articles.
Tests may be performed both on the complete article and separately on components of a complete article. For example, the filter portion of a filter-tipped smoking article may be measured for pressure drop, circumference and size. This requires that the filter be severed from the smoking article. Any tobacco shreds that remain affixed to the filter are removed from the filter portion.
In conventional testing, a series of conventional test instruments are arranged in a work area. An operator manually places each smoking article, or its component, into each instrument and actuates the instrument to conduct the desired measurement. The test result, i.e., the measured parameter is then displayed on the instrument and the data are typically transmitted to a host computer for recordation in a database. The database is used for subsequent analysis and tabulation. To measure component parts, the operator must manually sever the component from the article, dispose of the remainder of the article (or save it for subsequent testing), and then insert the component into the proper instrument or instruments to acquire the desired measurements. For example, to conduct tests on the filter rod portion of a conventional cigarette, the filter rod is typically severed from the cigarette using a razor blade to cut through the tobacco portion, and any tobacco shreds remaining attached to the filter are removed by the operator using a small instrument or a finger. The cleaned or deshredded filter is then inserted into the measuring instruments and the data acquired.
One problem with this technique is that it requires an operator to be in attendance throughout the procedure. Tests on manually guided articles also may be subject to variations in how or where the smoking article is gripped and/or positioned during the measurement procedure. These variations are undesirable for obtaining accurate statistical data.
Fidus-Instrument Corporation, Richmond, Va., has available a product line under the trade name Automatic Test Stations. The automatic test stations provide combinations of instruments for measuring one or more of weight, circumference/diameter, ventilation, pressure drop, and hardness. Model numbers CTS 500, CTS 400, CTS 350, and CTS 300 are automatic test stations for testing only cigarettes. Model numbers FTS 400 and FTS 300 are automatic test stations for testing only filter rod portions. The different numerical designations indicate that different combinations of instruments for performing various measurements are combined into a single CTS or FTS station. The measuring units are stacked on top of each other so that each article or filter rod to be tested is downwardly and sequentially indexed along an axis through the instruments.
The automatic test stations are available in conjunction with a product under the trade name Automatic Hopper Loader, model number AHL 100, also available from Fidus Instrument Corp. The Automatic Hopper Loader device has a plurality of bins for receiving bundles of a plurality of smoking articles (or filter rods) that may be loaded with up to eighteen bundles of smoking articles (or filter rods) simultaneously. The commercial hopper device transfers the contents of one bin to a hopper area. The contents loaded in the hopper area are then fed, one at a time, into either a CTS or FTS device, to which the hopper is mated. The bins are then indexed to bring the next bin into position for unloading into the hopper. The CTS and FTS automatic test station devices are capable of providing the results of the acquired test data to a master computer for tabulation and recordation.
One problem with these prior commercial devices is that they are not sufficiently flexible to alter the test sequence of individual samples among each bundle or from bundle to bundle. Rather, each model Automatic Test Station is configured with a sufficiently broad number of tests which are performed on each smoking article or filter rod fed into the Station. Thus, unnecessary tests are performed. Also, if one instrument module in a station becomes inoperative, the entire station becomes inoperative until that module can be repaired or replaced.
Another problem with these prior devices is that they are not capable of performing tests on a selected smoking article, followed by performing tests on a component of that smoking article, for example, the filter rod portion. Rather, a second Automatic Test Station of the FTS series must be obtained, in addition to a CTS series station, and an operator must manually sever the filter from the smoking articles measured by the CTS station and insert the severed filters into the FTS station for the filter measurements.
It is known to use robotic devices having opposing members for grasping and maneuvering objects from one location to another for assembling structures and for preparation of samples, e.g., dilution or mixing of chemical materials, prior to introduction to an analytical instrument in an analytical laboratory. One such device is the MasterLab.TM. System available from Perkins-Elmer Corp., Norwalk, Conn. 06856. However, it is not known to use such devices for gripping and maneuvering a plurality of different smoking articles. One of the problems with such robotic systems is that they are not readily capable of grasping differently dimensioned crushable, nonresilient objects such as smoking articles without damaging at least some, if not all, of such articles. More particularly, such robotic devices typically do not have the ability to grasp securely a preselected range of differently dimensioned smoking articles without deforming at least some articles in the range. The use of force transducers to monitor the forces exerted to control gripping of the article has been considered. However, such transducers increase the cost and complexity of the device. Also, because such transducers monitor force, they do not detect whether the deformable article is securely gripped and not deformed or damaged. Thus, such force transducers are not likely to prevent the opposing members from damaging relatively fragile smoking articles.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for automatic test stations that are flexible in operation and can be programmed to perform a desired series of tests of measurements. Further, there is a need for such automatic test station that can operate in an unattended mode.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an automated test station for obtaining one or more measurements on a smoking article selected from among a plurality of possible measurements. It is another object to provide a programmable automated test station for conducting different tests on different smoking articles in an unattended mode. It is another object to provide an automated test station that can conduct measurement tests on multiple sets of samples consecutively in an unattended mode.
It is another object of this invention to provide an automatic test station that can perform a selected sequence of characterization measurements on a smoking article and on a component of that article. It is another object to provide a robotic device for gripping and maneuvering each smoking article and smoking article component.
It is another object of this invention to provide an automated test station that can be instructed to conduct different test protocols on different samples within a sample set and on samples within different sample sets.
It is another object of this invention to provide an automated test station that can conduct measurement tests using conventional measuring instruments with minimal modification. It is another object to provide a test station that can be manually operated when necessary or desirable.
It is another object of this invention to provide an automated test station that can communicate with a computer device to receive information regarding the tests to be conducted and to transfer data for subsequent evaluation.